BUSINESS DATA
COMMUNICATIONS &
NETWORKING
Chapter 12
Network Management
FitzGerald ● Dennis ● Durcikova
Prepared by Taylor M. Wells: College of Business Administration, California State University, Sacramento 12-1
Copyright © 2015 John, Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Outline
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
What Do Network Managers Do?
Designing for Network Performance
Network Management Standards
Managing Network Traffic
Configuration Management
Performance Management
End User Support
Cost Management
Implications for Management
Copyright © 2015 John, Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
12-2
Network Management
• Network management is the process of operating,
monitoring, and controlling the network to ensure it works
as intended and provides value to its users
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What Do Network Managers Do?
Operational Tasks
• Manage the day-to-day operations of the network
• Provide support to network users
• Ensure the network is operating reliably
• Evaluate and acquire network hardware, software,
and services
• Manage the network technical staff
• Manage the network budget, with emphasis on
controlling costs
Copyright © 2015 John, Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
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What Do Network Managers Do?
Strategic Tasks
• Develop a strategic (long-term) networking and voice
communications plan to meet the organization’s
policies and goals
• Keep abreast of the latest technological developments
in computers, data communications devices, network
software, telephone technologies, and the Internet
• Assist senior management in understanding the
business implications of network decisions and the role
of the network in business operations
Copyright © 2015 John, Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
12-5
Designing for Network Performance
• Managed Networks
– Managed devices
• Provide the features of unmanaged devices, plus the
ability to configure, manage, and monitor the
device
• More expensive initial investment, but may save
money in management
• Can report when issues arise
Copyright © 2015 John, Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
12-6
Designing for Network Performance
• Device management software (point management
software)
– Allows manager to monitor performance and
configuration of devices on network
• System management software
• Application management software
Copyright © 2015 John, Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Designing for Network Performance
Copyright © 2015 John, Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
12-8
Network Management Standards
• Simple network management protocol (SNMP)
– Most commonly used protocol for managing network
devices
– The network management software uses SNMP to
communicated with software agents on managed
devices
– Data is stored in management information base
(MIB)
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Network Management Standards
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12-10
Managing Network Traffic
• Load balancing
– Spreads traffic to devices in server farm (or cluster)
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Managing Network Traffic
• Traffic shaping
– By protocol or application
• Blocking or limiting similar to quality of service
(QoS)
– By source/destination
• Limiting bandwidth for some users
Unlimited
Limited to 10 Mbps
10
0
20
Mbps
Mbps
20
10
0
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Managing Network Traffic
• Content Caching
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Managing Network Traffic
• Content delivery (or distribution) network (CDN)
– Serve content from servers closest to request
– e.g., Akamai
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12-14
Configuration Management
• Configuring Network and Clients
– Adding and deleting user accounts
– Updating software on client computers
– Desktop Management
• Documenting Configuration
– Network diagrams
– Network components
– Network software
– User/application profiles
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Configuration Management
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Performance Management
• Many organizations use dedicated network operations
centers (NOCs) to monitor networks using network
management software
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Performance Management
• Failure control and service management
– Help desk
– Trouble tickets
– Problem tracking
– Problem statistics
Ticket
Number
Priority
Issue
Date
Submitted
Status
Assigned
To
11793
1 -HIGH
WAN circuit #1 down
31 Jul
OPEN
Alan
11794
2 - MEDIUM
DNS #2 server slow
31 Jul
CLOSED
Alex
11795
3 - LOW
Computer needs more
RAM
30 Jul
OPEN
Alex
Copyright © 2015 John, Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Performance Management
• Statistics
– Availability (uptime)
– Downtime
– Mean time between failures (MTBF)
Mean
Time to
Diagnose
Mean
Time to
Respond
Mean
Time to
Fix
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Mean
Time to
Repair
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Performance Management
• Quality control chart
2000
1800
1600
1400
1200
1000
800
Circuit C
had new
hardware
here
Circuit B
moved to
new
microwave
channel
Circuit A
Circuit A is
deteriorating
Circuit B
Circuit C
600
400
200
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
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12-20
End User Support
• Solving the problems users encounter while using the
network
• Major sources of problems with user equipment
– Hardware device failures, generally easiest to fix
– Lack of user knowledge on proper operation, also
easier to fix
– Problems with software, software settings or software
incompatibility, generally hardest to fix
• Training is an ongoing responsibility of network manager
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Cost Management
• Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
– A measure of direct and indirect costs to operate a device (e.g.,
computer) per year
– Includes cost of
• Repairs and software/hardware upgrades
• Support staff (maintain, install, administer, etc.)
• Training and technical support
• Time “wasted” by the user when problems occur
– TCO of a Windows computer
• Estimated to be $5,000 and $10,000 per computer per year
• Largest component is lost time
– Some alternative measures (e.g., NCO) only include direct costs
• Estimated at $1,500 – $3,500 per computer per year
Copyright © 2015 John, Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Cost Management
• Largest costs are personnel, not hardware
Network
Devices
9%
Client
Computers
9%
Application
Software
8%
Network Costs
Other
5%
End User
Support
31%
Systems
Management
38%
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Cost Management
• Cost reduction steps
– Develop standard hardware/software configurations for
client computers, servers, and network devices
– Automate as much of the network management process as
possible
– Reduce the cost of installing new hardware/software by
working with vendors
– Centralize help desks
– Move to thin client or cloud-based architectures
Copyright © 2015 John, Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Implications for Management
• Network management requires technical understanding
and management skills
• Managers must explain the business value of the networks
to justify its increasing cost
• Network management is increasing its complexity
• Qualified personnel costs much more than hardware
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